Support for radiant covering and floor heating elements

ABSTRACT

A support for the heating elements of radiant coverings and floors is disclosed. One example of a support disclosed herein includes bosses having a concave portion. In some examples, defined on the surface of the concave portion is at least one adhering low relief, for example four adhering low reliefs may be provided per concave portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/647,510, filed on Jul. 12, 2017, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/185,576, filed on Jun. 17, 2016, nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,726,383, which claims the benefit of Italian PatentApplication No. 102016000033439 filed Apr. 1, 2016, and RegisteredCommunity Design Application Nos. 003067388-0001, 003067388-0002,003067388-0003 and 003067388-0004, filed with the European UnionIntellectual Property Office on Apr. 13, 2016, the entire contents ofall of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

SUMMARY

This disclosure refers to a support (10) for the heating elements ofradiant coverings and floors, comprising a base (11) from which bossesdevelop (12, 13, 14, 15) defining interspaces (16, 17, 18, 19) betweenthem for laying pipes or electric heating cables, which is characterisedby the fact that each of these bosses has a concave portion (20), withconcavity facing outwards in a laying position, on the surface (21) ofsaid concave portion (20) as at least one adhering low relief is defined(22, 23, 24, 25), in turn defining an anti-extraction undercut (22 b) tobe filled with material for laying a covering element.

DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates to a support for the heating elements of radiantcoverings and floors.

Nowadays are known and widespread support structures for the heatingelements of radiant coverings and floors, with hydraulic or electrictype heating elements, generally comprising a base, often consisting ofa panel or sheet or flexible thermoplastic membrane, from which anordered array of bosses develop defining between them interspaces forlaying heating pipes or electric cables.

The bosses have perimeter walls with anti-extraction template for theinterlocking of a pipe or cable in the space between the two adjacentbosses.

The bosses, usually in a single body with base, have a cavity, opentowards the outside in position for use, intended to be filled withadhesive material used for laying the overlying tiles or natural stones.

Said bosses with cavity, although widespread and appreciated, have animportant limit due to the fact that the adhesive, once dried,mechanically adheres in the interspaces between the bosses thanks to theundercut portions defined by the anti-extraction template of the bosses'walls, whereas the gripping inside their cavities is milder because suchcavities are concave and there are no parts where the dry adhesive canbe laid taking an anti-extraction shape with mechanical gripping.

Another known limit of these panels and membranes is constituted by thefact that the base from which the bosses develop is generally a flatsheet, below which is trapped the steam which the heat developed fromthe radiant elements lets out from the underlying screed; the trappedsteam can generate swelling and areas with risk of detaching for thepanel with bosses and for the overlying covering.

The task of this disclosure is to create a support for heating elementsfor radiant coverings and floors able to obviate the limits of the knownpanels and membranes.

Within this task, an aim of the disclosure is to set-up a supportsuitable for mechanical adhesion with the material for laying coveringwith respect to the known panels and membranes.

Another aim of the disclosure is that to set-up a support whichcooperates in preventing the formation of bulges between the supportitself and the underlying screed, due to the evaporated and trappedsteam.

A further aim of the disclosure is that to set-up a support which can beused for the construction of radiant coverings and floors in the sameway of the known support panels.

This task, as well as these and other aims hereinafter, are achieved bya support for the heating elements of radiant coverings and floors,according to declaration 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will be clearerfrom the description of three forms of preferred executions, but notexclusive, of the support according to the disclosure, illustrated as anexample but not limited to, in the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a portion of a support according tothe disclosure in its first embodiment;

FIG. 2 represents a cross-section of a support according to thedisclosure in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2a represents a detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 represents a bottom view of the portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a portion of a support according tothe disclosure in its second embodiment;

FIG. 5 represents a crossway section of a support as per FIG. 4;

FIG. 5a represents a detail of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 represents a perspective view of a portion of a support accordingto the disclosure in its third embodiment;

FIG. 7 represents an additional perspective view of a portion of asupport according to the disclosure in its third embodiment;

FIG. 8 represents a side view of the support portion of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-8, a support according to the disclosure isgenerally indicated in embodiments, with the number 10.

This support 10 for heating element of radiant coverings and floorsincludes a base 11 from which the bosses develop, for example 12, 13,14, 15 in FIG. 1, for example, but not exclusively, arranged accordingto an ordered array, defining interspaces 16, 17, 18, 19 between themfor laying pipes or electric heating cables, the latter not shown forsimplicity.

In some embodiments, base 11 is flat or substantially planar.

Base 11 and bosses 12, 13, 14 and 15 may be formed as a single plasticbody and a polypropylene or polyethylene membrane (or of otherthermoplastic material) which allows venting the steam from anunderlying support surface on which it is laid and at the same timewaterproof, that is the membrane helps prevent the passage of watertowards the same support surface. The base 11 and bosses 12, 13, 14, and15 may also be formed as a plastic panel.

In some embodiments, the bosses have perimeter walls, for example 12 aand 13 a in FIG. 2, with an anti-extraction template for theinterlocking of a heating cable in interspace 16 between two adjacentbosses, for example bosses 12 and 13.

One aspect of the present disclosure resides in the fact that each ofsaid bosses 12, 13, 14 and 15 are provided with a concave portion, forexample portion 20 for the first boss 12 and portion 26 for the secondboss 13, with the concavity facing the outside in a laying position(e.g., facing upward and away from a floor on which the base 11 isresting).

Defined on the surface 21 of said concave portion 20 is at least oneadhering low relief, for example four adhering low reliefs 22, 23, 24,25 may be provided per concave portion 20. Some or all of the bosses 12,13, 14, and 15 may be provided with respective concave portions 20having a number of low reliefs. For instance, boss 13 is shown toinclude reliefs 22 a, 23 a, 24 a, and 25 a.

Each of these adhering low reliefs 22, 23, 24 and 25 defines, in turn,an anti-extraction undercut, for example 22 b detailed in FIG. 2a , tobe filled with material for laying a coating element (e.g., a tileadhesive material) which fills the same concave portion 20 and 26 aswell as the interspaces 16, 16, 18, and 19.

The anti-extraction undercut 22 b is to be understood such with respectto a plane P parallel to base 11 and passing through an upper point 22 cof the outer edge of the corresponding low relief 22.

Said anti-extraction undercut 22 b prevents the extraction of thefilling material, which fills concave portion 20, and also fills the lowrelief 22, in a Y direction orthogonal to plane P, thus improving theadhesion of the same material, and of the overlying covering, to support10.

The low reliefs of the second boss 12 are shown, as an example, with 22a, 23 a and 24 a.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, each adhering low relief 22, 23, 24,25 is cylindrical with the main X axis orthogonal to surface 21 of thecorresponding concave portion 20, with rounded inner corners to help theextraction of the equipment with which the bosses are moulded on thebase.

In another embodiment, indicated with 110 and represented in FIGS. 4 and5, for each boss 112 and 113 each adhering low relief 122, 123, 124, 125has a semicylindrical template in cross-section, with main axis Zparallel to surface 121 of the concave portion 120.

Each of these adhering low reliefs 122, 123, 124 and 125 defines in turnan anti-extraction undercut, for example 124 b detailed in FIG. 5a , tobe filled with material for laying a coating element (e.g., a tileadhesive material) which fills the same concave portion 120 and 126 aswell as the interspaces.

The anti-extraction undercut 124 b is to be understood such with respectto a plane P parallel to base 111 and passing through the upper outeredge 124 c of the corresponding low relief 124.

This anti-extraction undercut 124 b prevents the extraction of thefilling material, which fills the concave portion 120, thus also the lowrelief 124, in a Y direction orthogonal to plane P.

These adhering low reliefs can also have other shapes (e.g., incross-section or in other dimensions), for example with a semispherical,triangular, square, rhomboidal, oval section and other shapes, templatesand profiles, depending on the technical needs and requirements.

In these example embodiments, not restrictive of the disclosure, eachconcavity has a truncated conical shaped surface 21, with walls 30, 31,32, 33 connected by curved sections.

Support 10 includes at least one low relief 22, 23, 24, 25 for each ofthe said walls 30, 31, 32, 33, for example one low relief for each wall,as in FIGS. 1 and 3.

In another embodiment of the disclosure, clearly visible in FIGS. 6 to 8and indicated therein with number 210, in correspondence of saidinterspaces, on said base 211, are channels 240, 241, 242, 243 to conveythe steam towards the collection chambers 244, 245 defined between thebody of said bosses 212, 213, 214, 215 and an underlying surface, suchas the screed, an adhesive layer or another layer fixed to base 211 ofthe same support 210.

These channels 240, 241, 242, 243 are open towards the surface to whichsupport 210 is fixed and communicate with the collection chambers 244and 245 through corresponding passages, such as 246, 247, 248 and 249 inFIGS. 7 and 8.

Thanks to the bosses having flat and/or walls and the chambers 244 and245 defined inside each boss, and to the conveying channels, it ispossible to collect at least part of the steam possibly coming out fromthe screed due to the heat given off by the heating elements laid onsupport 210, and avoid that this steam determines the formation ofbulging areas and the detachment of the same support 210 from theunderlying screed or other support surface and fixing.

The support according to the disclosure, in its three embodiments above10, 110 and 210, may also include a thermal insulation layer 50 locatedunder the base 11, 111, 211 and developed to involve the entire base 11,111, 211 including the areas in which said bosses 12, 13, 14, 15, 112,113, 212, 213, 214, 215 develop.

Said thermal insulation layer 50 may be made of fabric (including wovenor non-woven fabric) or cork or a metal sheet or other similar andequivalent materials. For example, the thermal insulation layer 50 maycomprise aluminum foil, polystyrene, wool, and/or fleece.

Basically, it has been ascertained how the disclosures achieves theintended task and purposes.

In particular, with the disclosure we have developed a support which isoptimal for mechanical adhesion with the adhesive material for layingthe coverings with respect to the known panels.

In addition, with the disclosure a support has been set-up whichcooperates in preventing the formation of bulges between the support andthe underlying screed, due to the evaporated and trapped steam.

Furthermore, with the disclosure we have developed a support which issimple and intuitive to use.

In addition, with the disclosure we have developed a support that can beused for the realisation of radiant floors in the same way as the knownsupport structures.

The disclosure, thus conceived, is susceptible of various changes andvariations, all falling within the inventive concept; moreover, alldetails can be replaced with others technically equivalent.

Basically, the used components and materials, as long as compatible withthe specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, canbe any according to the requirements and state of the art.

Where the features and techniques mentioned in any claim are followed bybenchmarks, these marks are affixed with the sole purpose of increasingthe intelligibility of the claims and such benchmarks have no limitingeffect on the interpretation of each element identified by way ofexample by such benchmarks.

What is claimed is:
 1. A floor support comprising: a base having abottom surface and a top surface; a plurality of bosses arranged in anordered array on the base, the ordered array configured to providemultiple options for routing an electric heating cable among theplurality of bosses, wherein each of the plurality of bosses comprises:an upper surface; a perimeter wall extending from the upper surface tothe top surface, the perimeter wall sloping underneath the uppersurface; and an interior wall extending from the upper surface to thetop surface, the interior wall sloping toward an interior of the boss;and a thermal insulation layer adjacent the bottom surface.
 2. The floorsupport of claim 1, wherein the thermal insulation layer is made offabric.
 3. The floor support of claim 2, wherein the fabric is anon-woven fabric.
 4. The floor support of claim 2, wherein the fabric iswool.
 5. The floor support of claim 2, wherein the fabric is fleece. 6.The floor support of claim 1, wherein the thermal insulation layercomprises a metal sheet.
 7. The floor support of claim 6, wherein themetal sheet is aluminium foil.
 8. The floor support of claim 1, whereinthe thermal insulation layer comprises polystyrene.
 9. A support forheating elements, comprising: a thermoplastic body comprising: aplurality of planar base portions, each of the planar base portionscomprising a top side and a bottom side; a plurality of bosses extendingabove the plurality of planar base portions, each of the plurality ofbosses comprising: an upper surface; a perimeter wall extending from theupper surface to the top side of a first one of the plurality of planarbase portions, the perimeter wall sloping underneath the upper surface;and an interior wall extending from the upper surface to the top side ofa second one of the plurality of planar base portions, the interior wallsloping toward an interior of the boss; and a thermal insulation layeradjacent the bottom side of the plurality of planar base portions. 10.The support of claim 9, wherein the thermal insulation layer comprisesfabric.
 11. The support of claim 10, wherein the fabric is a non-wovenfabric.
 12. The support of claim 10, wherein the fabric is wool.
 13. Thesupport of claim 10, wherein the fabric is fleece.
 14. The support ofclaim 9, wherein the thermal insulation layer comprises a metal sheet.15. The support of claim 14, wherein the metal sheet is aluminium foil.16. The support of claim 9, wherein the thermal insulation layercomprises polystyrene.
 17. A heating element support comprising: athermoplastic body comprising: a plurality of planar base portions, eachof the planar base portions comprising a top side and a bottom side; aplurality of bosses extending to a first height above the plurality ofplanar base portions, each of the plurality of bosses comprising: asubstantially planar upper surface; a perimeter wall extending from theupper surface to the top side of a first one of the plurality of planarbase portions, the perimeter wall sloping underneath the upper surface;and an interior wall extending from the upper surface to the top side ofa second one of the plurality of planar base portions, the interior wallsloping toward an interior of the boss; and a plurality of channelsextending to a second height above the plurality of planar baseportions, the second height lower than the first height; and a thermalinsulation layer adjacent the bottom side of the plurality of planarbase portions, the thermal insulation layer comprising a non-wovenfabric.
 18. The heating element support of claim 17, wherein theinterior wall of each of the plurality of bosses comprises a pluralityof undercuts, each of the plurality of undercuts extending underneath atleast a portion of the interior wall.
 19. The heating element support ofclaim 17, further comprising a raised ring extending upwardly from thesubstantially planar upper surface.
 20. The heating element support ofclaim 17, wherein the non-woven fabric is fleece.